# McClelland No. 25



## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

I got a nice sized sample of this wonderful tobacco from DanR in the blind taste test. This review is being made off my notes from the taste test as well as some smokes since then (also, I am smoking it right now).

It is a nice dark brown tobacco with lighter brown and reddish bits mixed in. Makes sense since if you look at the description, it is a mix of dark and red Virginia tobaccos. The tin note (or bag note in this case) is quite leathery with a sweet BBQ sauce tangy and sweetness. It is a thin ribbon cut reminiscent of the cut found with Esoterica ribbon cut blends. That thin cut make it generally easy to load your pipe, but it would be easy to pack it too tight if you aren't careful.

In the past, all my smokes were in a cob, though right now I'm smoking it in an Invicta "Crosby" (long 1/4 bent billiard, think Sav Bing's Favorite just a little thinner/more delicate). It is a very good VA tobacco. Very "earthy" and sweet, not as bright or grassy as other lighter VA tobaccos. In the blind taste test I wanted to taste a hint of Latakia but it isn't there (because of the leathery smell I thought it might have a little Lat in it, so I was looking for it). It is pretty sweet, both from the VAs in the tobacco and the casings that McClelland uses. Like all McClelland blends it has a bit of an aromatic quality to me, though it is not an aro. No matter how fast I smoke it I never get any tongue bite.

It may not be a permanent part of my rotation, but it will be one that I regularly keep on hand. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a good VA. Though, I must provide the disclaimer that I am a _huge_ McClelland fan, having never found a McClelland blend that I don't like.


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